22 May What’s so great about the Bend beer scene? Here’s the top 5 list:

Beer, Beer and more beer. Find out the top 5 reasons Bend is so amazing!

1. The More the Merrier

With a total of 27 breweries to indulge the masses, Central Oregon is cranking out the craft beer like a grandma in a spanking machine on her birthday. Hit after hit after hit. Eighteen of those breweries are in Bend alone. That’s one brewery per 4,450 residents. Pretty mind-blowing.

What makes Bend so incredibly stellar when it comes to crafting the good stuff? Some would say it’s all about the water. High-quality, sparkling mountain water just makes beer taste better. Others would say it’s the quirky, laid-back Bend culture that feeds the craft beer movement. After all, Bend is the quintessential postcard for living the good life.

Or maybe, just maybe, it’s about the people (because it’s always about the people). The brewmasters, true artisans of their peculiar craft, infuse their beers with a bit of their souls. Raving fans want to taste the story with every sip. There is a deep appreciation for beer here.

Take the party up the mountain today for the Mt. Bachelor BrewSki Festival. Enjoy your favorite craft brews, watch colossal wipeouts in the North American Pond Skimming Championships and hang out with the dudes from MOsley WOtta as they wrap up a spectacular season.

Wednesday, May 28th

Head down to Crow’s Feet Commons for Ale Apothecary tastings. You won’t want to miss these truly original brews.

Friday, May 30th

Church will never be the same again. Join Naughty Pierre and Portland’s finest burlesque stars at The Old Stone Church as they entertain, delight and dazzle during Deschutes Brewery’s Beer-lesque celebration. Rumor has it that a “guest beer” will be making an appearance during intermission.

Saturday, May 31st

Cap off a most excellent week by tasting more of your favorite brews. Head out to Sunriver for Brewfest, which will feature tastings, music, food and lots of sun. $25 gets you (12) 4 oz. pours.

During Central Oregon Beer Week, we will be holding daily tastings of some of your favorite brews:

Monday, May 26thCrux Fermentation Project

Tuesday, May 27thDeschutes Brewery

Wednesday, May 28thCascade Lakes Brewing

Thursday, May 29thSilver Moon Brewing

Friday, May 30thGood Life Brewing

Saturday, May 31st10 Barrel Brewing Co.

Join us from 3:30-5:30 each day.

4. A Wall of Beer is Pretty Badass

Look. We’re not one to brag, but… have you seen this?

The Great Wall of Beer. 500+ brews within your grasp.

Every Tuesday, we pick a beer of the week. It might be a tried-and-true favorite or something new to wet your whistle. The coolest part is that when you use your FoodeFlash Card, you earn $10 in Moolah when you spend $50 on the Beer of the Week. It’s like we’re paying you to drink beer.

Not sure what to try next? Visit our Brew Crew page for inspiration. Here, you can search for the perfect beer via criteria such as brewery, style, local selections, or seasonal offerings. Or pick a keyword and we’ll narrow down the search for you. You’ll be amazed at how easy it is. Try searching for pineapple (or bend, spicy, full, dark, stout…) Fun!

They say a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. OK… maybe it’s not a thousand miles, but you gotta take that first step to begin the famous Bend Ale Trail.

More than 10,000 people have completed it, rewarded with freaking delicious beer along the way and rad swag upon finishing.

Bend Ale Trail 3.0 launched on May 8th. Fourteen local craft breweries are now part of the world-famous trail. Pick up your trail atlas and passport at all participating breweries, the Bend Visitor’s Center, or the ticket mill at Old Mill District. There is even a free iPhone/Android app to help you triumph over the trail and keep track of breweries visited.

10 stamps gets you a commemorative Silipint.

All 14 stamps gets you a Silipint + a bottle opener for future craft beer conquerings.